November 2022

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VOLUME 8 - ISSUE 11

NOVEMBER 2022

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 For people requiring emergency care, the healthcare situation in

Niverville Store to Satisfy Sweet Tooths

Get Caught Up with the Niverville Nighthawks

Couple Aims to Launch Multimedia Studio

Manitoba Healthcare in State of Crisis

Manitoba has gotten increasingly dire, with countless nurses and physicians leaving the system to escape burnout and regain control over their careers. Local patients now share their horror stories.

 A pair of local entrepreneurs are opening a new candy store in town that specializes in rare, retro, and imported sweets.

 How has our new MJHL team been doing? Get all the details on the team’s performance in the month of October.

 Jacky and Jason Heistand of Niverville are taking their long and storied music careers in a new direction.

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Election Concludes with Shake Up of Local Councils READ MORE ON PAGES 3-6 D BRENDA SAWATZKY

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LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

Remembrance Day

Lest We Forget

Ron R. Schuler

MLA for Springfield-Ritchot Ron@RonSchuler.com 329 Bronstone Drive Niverville, MB R0A 1E0

1-204-388-4600 feedback@whereyoubelong.ca www.whereyoubelong.ca

Election Results The official tally for the 2022 election in Niverville is as follows: Nathan Dueck John Funk Meghan Beasant Chris Wiebe Bill Fast Kevin Stott Jason Alderson

742 votes 447 votes 547 votes 554 votes 578 votes 354 votes 297 votes

The following candidates have been declared elected: Nathan Dueck Meghan Beasant Chris Wiebe Bill Fast Mayor Myron Dyck won by acclamation.

Voter turnout was 29%.

Audrey Neufeld Senior Election Official

LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

WHAT'S INSIDE Ste. Agathe and St. Adolphe Vote for Change School Trustees Step Down, New Trustees Acclaimed Fire Department Raises Funds for New Jaws of Life Super Citizen: Irene Falk, Preschool Teacher Extraordinaire Manitoba’s Healthcare System Reaches State of Crisis

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Citizen Poll

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Join today & don’t pay

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New Ritchot Development Plan Draws Local Concern Nighthawks Player Spotlight: Captain Brett Tataryn

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The Nighthawks Shine in October

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New Niverville Store to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth Niverville Remembrance Day Service Returns to the Heritage Centre

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Pita Pit to Open Soon in Niverville

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St. Adolphe Students Get Donated School Kits Food for Thought: How Our Diets Affect the Brain Junior C Clippers Gear Up for Season Opener U18 Hockey Team Raises Money for CancerCare Niverville Fire Department Debuts New Safety Booklet

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Local Musicians Aim to Launch Studio

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Box 266, Niverville, MB R0A 1E0 www.nivervillecitizen.com

Managing Editor: Evan Braun Sales Manager: Ray Dowse Operations Manager: Cara Dowse Design/Production Manager: Dustin Krahn Contributors: Evan Braun, Brenda Sawatzky, Jennifer Lavin, Daniel Dacombe, Ty Dilello, Sara Beth Dacombe CONTACT US

Letters to the Editor: editor@nivervillecitizen.com Advertising Sales: sales@nivervillecitizen.com Classifieds/General Information: info@nivervillecitizen.com Artwork/Ad Proofs/Graphics: ads@nivervillecitizen.com The Niverville Citizen is published monthly and distributed through Canada Post to all those with a postal box in Niverville, Îledes-Chênes, St. Adolphe, Ste. Agathe, New Bothwell, Otterburne, and Tourond. Additional copies are manually distributed to businesses in the aforementioned communities, as well as the town of Landmark. The paper is printed in Canada by Derksen Printers Ltd. Republishing of this paper in whole or in part without prior approval is strictly prohibited.

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D NATHAN DUECK

D MEGHAN BEASANT

D CHRIS WIEBE

D BILL FAST

Election Concludes with Shake Up of Niverville’s Council

By Brenda Sawatzky

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER m

bsawatzky@nivervillecitizen.com

October 26 proved to be an interesting night at the polls in Niverville.

With seven candidates running for four councillor positions, it was anyone’s game.

In the end, voters demonstrated that they were ready for some change.

Niverville’s newest members of council are Meghan Beasant and Bill Fast, joined by incumbents Nathan Dueck and Chris Wiebe. Mayor Myron Dyck was declared the winner by acclamation last month.

According to the final results, Nathan Dueck took an impressive lead to finish in first place with 742 votes. Next in line with smaller margins between them are Bill Fast with 578 votes, Chris Wiebe with 554 votes, and Meghan Beasant with 547 votes.

The candidates not returning to council are John Funk with 447 votes and Kevin Stott with 354 votes. At last count, newcomer Jason Alderson received 297 votes.

Voter turnout was low, coming in at just 29 percent. There are 3,445 eligible voters in the community.

This is comparable to the neighbouring communities of St. Adolphe and Ste. Agathe, which saw 24 percent and 31 percent voter turnout respectively.

“I really appreciate the opportunity to represent the town and the citizens,” Chris Wiebe says. “It’s an honor. It really is. I have mixed emotions. We had a really good team, and the team has changed, so now it’s my responsibility as the senior official in there… to be a team builder.

People want change and that’s what happened.”

Joining Wiebe as returning incumbent, Nathan Dueck says he’s

honoured that the results were so strongly in his favour.

“Hard work pays off,” Dueck says.

“I knocked on 1,500 doors and there were a lot of people in my campaign that helped out. I do appreciate them. About 80 percent of people that voted put me down as one of the candidates they chose, so I’m feeling honoured and privileged for the fact that I had such a high approval rating in the community. It just gives me the motivation to go out and meet the other 20 percent that didn’t vote for me and get to know them a little bit better too.”

While he’s not new to Niverville politics, it’s the first time Councillor Bill Fast will be serving his community in this way since the population explosion of more recent years.

He was first elected to Niverville’s council in the 1980s when Gil Wiebe served as mayor. He was the youngest councillor at the time.

Fast says that his engine is revving and he’s ready to hit the ground running.

“It feels very good,” says Fast. “I believe that I can make a difference in this community. I worked hard [for this win] and I’m anxious to get rolling. I’ve talked to a lot of people and made lots of notes and now that I’m in I can address them with the rest of council.”

Fast didn’t rely on door-to-door campaigning. Instead his strategy was to reach out to people wherever he met up with them, like coffee shops, hockey arenas, and other public places. It’s in these places that he anticipates opportunities to continue rubbing shoulders with his constituents going forward.

Rounding off the councillor quartet is newcomer Meghan Beasant.

Beasant is the first female councillor to be elected since Angela Janz served from 2010 to 2014. She’s also the youngest current member of

council.

“It feels amazing,” Beasant says.

“I’m very excited and very honoured that so many people liked what I had to say and felt that I could represent them.”

As a busy mom and business owner, Beasant admits that she didn’t have the time to get to as many households as she’d hoped to before the election.

Still, she believes she was able to meet a good cross-section of residents in all parts of town. And she believes the many connections she’s made prior to the campaign helped her to win as well.

“I think [my success] had a lot to do with reaching the younger demographic,” she adds. “You can’t deny that a lot of people saw me and felt that I could be a good representative of people in this town.”

Mayor Dyck says that no time will be wasted in getting the newly elected council prepped and ready for council duties. An all-day orientation was scheduled to take place on Friday, October 28.

“I want to thank each candidate for being willing to serve their community,” Dyck says. “I appreciate very much the sacrifice and the effort they all made. I also wish to congratulate those that are the council going into the next four years.”

Dyck acknowledges the hard-working town staff who were instrumental in delivering the smoothly run election.

“Lastly, to all those that exercised their right to come out and vote, I say thank you to you as well.”

The new council have hit the ground running, taking part in their first public meeting onTuesday, November 1.

On December 2–3, the team will be immersed in full days of budget planning for the coming year.

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LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

A Note of Thanks From Ste Agathe Residents On behalf of Jardins Vert Holdings Ltd., Guy & Ann St Hilaire would like to thank the past councillor for Ward 3, Curtis Claydon and the incumbent Joel Lemoine for their support on our position for the development of our properties. We have made new friends during this process, outlining our plans for our intended subdivision.

We would also like to thank the overwhelming support we have received from the community either by attendance or written statements in support of our position presented at the Macdonald Ritchot Planning District hearings both on October 20, held at the RM of Ritchot head office in St Adolphe and on October 24 held at the RM of Macdonald head office held in Sanford. Many thanks to all.

Our best wishes to Curtis and his family, for his past tenure as councillor going forward and successes for his future endeavours.

Joel is well known in Ste Agathe and comes with much experience in community involvement and will do well as our new councillor in ward 3 for the Ste Agathe area supporting the community interests.

D JASON BODNARCHUK

Ste. Agathe and St. Adolphe Vote for Change

By Brenda Sawatzky LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER m

Annual General Meeting Monday, November 21, 2022 7:00 pm Bothwell Christian Fellowship 20 Sara Avenue, New Bothwell, MB All are welcome to attend.

D JOEL LEMOINE

bsawatzky@nivervillecitizen.com

Following months of campaigning in St. Adolphe (Ward 1) and Ste. Agathe (Ward 3), the results of Ritchot’s 2022 municipal election are in.

Jason Bodnarchuk of St. Adolphe and Joel Lemoine of Ste. Agathe have both defeated their incumbent challengers by significant margins to claim victory.

Bodnarchuk and Lemoine will join acclaimed councillors Janine Boulanger (Ward 4) and Shane Pelletier (Ward 1). Rounding off the five-member council is acclaimed mayor Chris Ewen.

“Every four years, there’s an opportunity for councils to stay the way they were or for councils to change,” says

Mayor Chris Ewen. “I look forward to working with council for the next [term].”

In St. Adolphe, 24 percent of the community’s eligible voters turned out. This is down from the 36 percent seen in the election of 2018.

Out of the 480 votes cast, Bodnarchuk won by a large margin with 317 votes compared to incumbent Ron Mamchuk’s 163 votes.

Ste. Agathe saw a 31 percent voter turnout from its potential 1,464 eligible voters.

Here, Lemoine also received the lion’s share of the votes, taking 276 compared to Claydon’s 180.

“I feel good,” says Bodnarchuk. “I’m excited and I can’t wait to get to work. It’s a surreal feeling, for sure.”

While voter turnout is down somewhat from the

last election, Bodnarchuk says he’s just glad people made the effort to get out to the polls and make a difference.

Bodnarchuk took part in a meeting with CAO Mitch Duval in his first week to discuss the finer details of his new position.

For Lemoine, election day was an eventful one, but in ways he had not expected. It began in the morning by testing positive for COVID-19.

Locked away in a bedroom at home, he watched the results unfold from a computer screen.

“O ne thing that I was surprised about is that we got 31 percent of the voters out, even considering there wasn’t a mayor up for election,” Lemoine says. “Curtis and I did our job by going to as many doors as possible

and getting people out there.

The numbers could have been higher, obviously, but I’m happy with the outcome that we got.”

Within a matter of days, the members of council, both old and new, were officially sworn into office.

From that point forward, it has been business as usual.

The new council’s first public meeting took place as scheduled on Tuesday, November 1 at 9:00 a.m.

Mayor Ewen says that the new council members have been briefed on several key issues going on in the RM. “Be it, ‘What’s our capital plan that we have in place?’ or ‘Is there something that might need changing?’” says Ewen.

“And then council will decide, as a whole, what works best.”

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LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

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President: Amanda Wiens | Vice-President: Elvin Krahn | Executive Director: Kylie Matechuk Treasurer: Nicholas Bergmann | Executive Assistant: Bre-Ann Boulet Directors: Bryan Trottier, Ben Dueck, Scott Wallace, Karen Albaugh

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LOCAL NEWS IN BRIEF

Fire Department Raises Funds for New Jaws of Life

By Sara Beth Dacombe m

editor@nivervillecitizen.com

The Niverville fire department is fundraising to purchase a new set of jaws of life. The powerful hydraulic scissors are used in emergency situations, particularly car crashes, to create an opening and pull people out of damaged vehicles.

Fire chief Keith Bueckert says the current set is obsolete and needs to be replaced.

“We are moving toward a set that is battery-operated, that won’t have as many limitations, because they won’t have cords on them,” says Bueckert.

Almost $14,000 has been raised so far out of a $55,000 goal.

To help, the department is bringing back its perogy dinner fundraiser, which has been cancelled for the past two years.

They invite everyone to come to the Golden Friendship Centre on November 11 from 5:00–8:30 p.m.

Bueckert encourages anyone interested to arrive early.

“COVID stopped our perogy supper from happening the last two years and that was a fundraising event we’ve had for close to 12 years,” he says. “We are very excited and we think people will be very glad to see the event come back, so we are getting the feeling it may be a packed house.”

The event has often been used to raise funds for tools or initiatives that can’t be covered in the regular Fire and EMS budget.

“The [Town of Niverville] is great at meeting our needs and providing for our general fund, but the perogy dinner is for our wish list,” says Bueckert. “So this year, we are fundraising for a new set of jaws of life.”

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

School Trustees Step Down, New Trustees Acclaimed

By Brenda Sawatzky

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER m

bsawatzky@nivervillecitizen.com

The Hanover School Division’s Ward 1 district will saw a complete shuffle in trustee leadership on election day, October 26.

The Ward 1 district includes schools in Niverville, New Bothwell, Kleefeld, and on the Crystal Springs Hutterite colony.

Shannon Friesen served two terms as trustee for Ward 1. Carisa Klassen filled the second trustee seat for the most recent four-year term.

Neither trustee chose to put their hats in the ring for another term.

Two new candidates have stepped up to fill those seats. They are Jeff Friesen of the Kleefeld area and Dallas Wiebe of Niverville.

With no additional contenders as of September 20, both Friesen and Wiebe have been elected by acclamation.

JEFF FRIESEN

HOME MARKET E VA L U AT I O N Katie Knebel 204-392-3030

Friesen is a fourth-generation farmer on a parcel of land just west of Kleefeld. He’s been married to his wife Janet for 31 years.

Together they are parents of five and grandparents to one with another on the way.

“Choosing to run for trustee of HSD wasn’t a difficult choice for me,” Friesen says. “I’ve always had an interest in our kids’ education. Now, having grandkids, it’s important to build on the good foundations of the past in our schools. We must focus on true connection in community and with the parents and students. I

want all of our Hanover schools to be a place where parents want their children to be.”

For Friesen, volunteerism is a way of life. He’s currently a member of the Parent Advisory Council and sits on the board of the Roseau River Bible Camp.

For the past decade, he’s also coordinated and coached softball in southeastern Manitoba.

DALLAS WIEBE

Wiebe is also a farmer by trade, working his land surrounding Niverville. Spring flooding and prolific amounts of summer rain keeps Wiebe working round the clock on his fields much later into fall this year.

His decision to run for school trustee was a last minute one. He was encouraged by close friends, he says, who must have recognized in him the ability to do the job well. He is a father of four children who all attend school locally.

“I did my homework on what was involved [in trustee work] and here we are,” Wiebe says.

SHANNON FRIESEN

Friesen says she has personal reasons for not running for a third term, but it wasn’t an easy decision to make. She loved every aspect of

her role as trustee and enjoyed the strong connections she built over the years.

She adds that her respect and admiration for HSD staff at every level was only reinforced during the challenging years of COVID-19 restrictions.

“I am so grateful for all the staff in HSD in their various positions,” Friesen says. “The dedication, care, and adaptation each one has made to help support our students and families during this time was appreciated beyond measure. I have always wanted the best educational learning environment for our students and I believe this was truly tested these past few years.”

Thankfully, she says, some years prior to the pandemic the board decided to invest in up-to-date technology for their schools.

Other investments were made which would provide greater educational supports for students who struggled with learning either physically, mentally, or emotionally.

These investments, she says, paid off in a big way during the many months of the pandemic.

“We all know mental health is a big part of our society and I am glad to see our division and province addressing this area,” Friesen says.

Friesen says she her role as advocate between the schools and families very seriously, working hard to help build good communications between them.

One big highlight of her last term in office was the completion of the Niverville High School.

“My passion for making our school community a healthy and exciting learning environment will never stop,” Friesen concludes. “I want to wish all the new trustees well in their new roles and continue to encourage trustees to remember all of our kids when decisions are made around the board table.”

CARISA KLASSEN

Klassen, too, admits to wrestling with the decision on whether to run for trustee again, but in the end

a new career calling won out. Klassen has decided to pursue her master’s degree in counselling.

“My heart is still in it,” says Klassen. “I would never [dismiss] the idea of running [for trustee] again in the future because I really value the relationships that I made.”

For Klassen, the majority of her term as trustee was coloured by the pandemic.

Added to the hardship of navigating constantly changing provincial guidelines, she says, was the struggle HSD administration had when faced with such a vast array of opinions and pressures coming from parents throughout the division.

From her trustee perspective, she witnessed firsthand the passion HSD leadership had for providing the best possible education to the region’s students. It’s more than just lip service, she says.

“The biggest thing I learned is, what I thought I knew before [I became trustee], I realized that I knew very little when it comes to education,” Klassen says. “We all really have to put trust and faith in the people who are the professionals.”

Klassen viewed her role as trustee as that of bridge-builder, helping to improve communications between students and teachers and teachers and the division.

“I think I was able to change some narratives from negative to positive and to give people a different perspective,” she says.

“So that part of changing the way that people view things, that was probably the most satisfying [part of my job].”

LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

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Irene Falk.

Super Citizen: Irene Falk, Preschool Teacher Extraordinaire

In this ongoing series, The Citizen profiles locals who strive to make our little corner of Manitoba a better place. Each month, we feature a person, family, or business that helps brighten the world in some way. If you have someone in mind for a future month, please nominate them: jlavin@nivervillecitizen.com.

By Jennifer Lavin m

jlavin@nivervillecitizen.com

This month’s Sup er Citizen is Irene Falk. For more than 30 years, the Niverville Cooperative Playgroup (NCP) has been a fixture in the town and Falk has been its director nearly the entire time.

Falk was nominated by Paige McGory-Holloway, a member of the NCP board.

“Irene is a wonderful lady who has dedicated decades to Niver ville’s youngest,” McGory-Holloway says. “Personally, she made my child’s first year of school so memorable by creating such a fun space for children to learn and play. She also made it fun to be a part of the board.”

Dawna Anderson, another member of the board, says that Falk loved all the kids she taught over the years and they all loved her back.

“Irene had a smile on her face every time she opened the door to greet her little students,” Anderson says. “And when she was talking about

retirement and not seeing her students each and every day, her eyes filled with tears.

Good teachers are so important, especially for little kids who are likely leaving their parents for the first time, so we were extremely blessed to have Irene, who cared so deeply for the kids.”

Rochelle Moffit, Falk’s childcare assistant, has many, many good things to say about her former boss and current friend.

“Working with Irene these past few years has been nothing short of a dream,” says Moffit. “She was supportive and encouraging. She also cared about everyone well beyond the job. She was amazing with the children and taught me a lot. Irene’s faith also shone through daily without saying anything at all. She will continue to be my friend and mentor for years to come.”

Tristan Friesen was a student of Falk’s many years ago.

He’s an adult now, but he still remembers Falk and the way she cared for all her students.

“Mrs. Falk was awesome as my preschool teacher,” adds Friesen. “Both her and [her husband] John are pillars of the community for sure.”

The kids at NCP just loved Mrs. Falk. McGory-Holloway recalls that one of Mrs. Falk’s students, George Krahn, age four, always called his teacher “Mama Falk.”

“She was like a second mother to many children,” McGory-Holloway says.

“She is a fun teacher and I loved playing and singing songs with Mrs. Falk,” says four-year-old Dakota Holloway, “even though I always called her Mrs. Moffit all year by mistake.”

Falk’s son, popular comedian Matt Falk, says that he was always struck by two things when he talked to his mom about her work.

“The first is how much creativity and hard work went into making sure the kids were learning and having fun in new and engaging ways,” Matt says. “And the second is how much she genuinely loved the time she spent with the kids.

They made all that hard work worth it.”

For her part, Falk says, “I’ve had the privilege and pleasure to be the director for Niverville Cooperative Playgroup for 30 and a half years.

The preschool is a vital part of our community and my wish is for continued success for the new director. Working with preschool children has brought me so much joy. I will truly miss the children.”

Falk is looking forward to spending quality time with her grandkids and her family.

The NCP will continue without her—but it will not be the same.

I appreciate the opportunity to work hard for the community NIVERVILLEin the coming years!

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LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

Manitoba’s Healthcare System Reaches State of Crisis

By Brenda Sawatzky LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER m

bsawatzky@nivervillecitizen.com

The worst of the pandemic may feel like history. But in its wake, Manitobans continue to take some big hits. Sky-high inflation and rising interest rates are affecting people of all income brackets.

And the ongoing crisis in the province’s healthcare system can no longer be ignored either.

New reports emerge almost daily, exposing the reality of healthcare staff shortages which are resulting in long ER wait times, intensive care unit closures, and increasingly delayed diagnostic procedures and surgeries.

“Our nurses are burning out at a rate that I’ve never seen before,” said Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union, in a press release on October 24.

These reports should be raising alarm bells not just for overworked healthcare staff, but for every resident of the province. Whether people need medical attention now or may need it in the unforeseeable future, they should be concerned about the current state of affairs.

WINNIPEG HOSPITALS IN CRISIS

On October 11, the Manitoba Nurses Union (MNU) reported the closure of the Grace Hospital ICU due to 13 nurse resignations since the start of summer. Before the closure, each nurse had been responsible for three acutely ill patients—three times the normal one-to-one ratio.

The MNU publicly shared an SOS they received from one of the nurses on staff there.

“We are told to ‘just try our best,’” the unidentified nurse wrote. “We’re drowning, and we’re not OK.” Then, in mid-October, the Grace Hospital also announced the cancellation of an additional 26 scheduled hip and knee surgeries.

An advocacy group for medical physicians across the province, Doctors Manitoba, managed an online dashboard that tracked surgery backlogs during the pandemic.

On its last update, from June 28, the backlog of patients waiting for diagnostics and surgeries showed well over 100,000. More than 30,000 of those had already been delayed from previously scheduled appointments.

Doctors Manitoba cites the shortage of nurses and technologists as the main reason for the backlogs. It’s a problem, they say, that started long before the pandemic.

Winnipeg’s Health Science Centre has been in the news for months due to ER staff shortages. The department has been forced, at times, to

Nevada Long of Niverville has endured long and frustrating waits this year to access badly needed care.

close up to half of its beds and draw on part-time staff and nurses from other departments to fill the gap.

“I hear from nurses every day that are looking for somewhere else to work other than the public system,” Jackson has said.

St. Boniface Hospital made the most recent news as a doctor and former president of Doctors Manitoba, Dr. Kristjan Thompson, admitted to the press that, for the first time in his medical career, he has considered quitting too.

HOSPITALS IN THE RURAL SOUTHEAST NO BETTER OFF

For residents of the rural southeast, things are not looking much more optimistic.

The media spokesperson for Southern Health-Santé Sud (SH-SS) responded to The Citizen on behalf of the head of human resources, René Ouellette.

“Southern Health-Santé Sud is experiencing the same healthcare staffing shortages that is affecting the rest of Manitoba,” they said.

“The reasons… are multifactorial. A significant portion of our workforce has reached retirement age. This, in combination with COVID, resulted in a loss of personnel within our workforce. As COVID continued and workloads increased, staff burnout became increasingly evident.”

Compounding the problem, the SH-SS spokesperson adds, is the fact that ER visits have gone up from previous years, with higher numbers of patients experiencing severe conditions that can’t be addressed in a physician’s office.

In the meantime, they say efforts are being made to fill the staffing

gaps, and these include much of the same strategies as those being employed by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority: encouraging remaining staff to work overtime and reassigning other departmental staff to the ER, including healthcare aides and clerks.

According to the media spokesperson for the Manitoba Nurses Union, asking nurses to fill the gaps by taking two or more shifts backto-back has been standard practice but only serves to exacerbate the problem of burnout among nurses and further reduces the quality of patient care.

ER PATIENTS TELL THEIR STORIES

Paige Malthouse of Niverville was a patient in the Steinbach Bethesda Regional Health Centre’s ER in September of this year. She arrived at 9:30 a.m. experiencing abdominal pain so severe that she was doubled over at the waist.

A triage nurse asked about her symptoms early on and then the wait began. Over the course of the next few hours, Malthouse received Tylenol for her pain, and blood and urine samples were taken.

What she didn’t receive was any indication as to how long the wait might be.

“There were maybe 20 different patients that cycled through while I was there,” says Malthouse. “I felt [the long wait] was purely about staffing levels. At about 10:00 p.m., I asked how long it would be as I needed to be picked up by my husband and he had to get our kids out of bed to come get me. She said I was next, but she wasn’t sure how long

D NEVADA LONG

that would take.”

Fourteen hours after her arrival at the ER, Malthouse was finally seen by a doctor. An ultrasound was performed and within 30 minutes she had a diagnosis: gallstones.

Malthouse was given a prescription for pain medication, a referral for surgery, and sent home with instructions to return if the medication didn’t alleviate the pain within two hours. This could be an indication, they told her, that her gallbladder was about to rupture.

Emma Dequier is a Ste. Agathe resident whose medical troubles began in 2020 at the age of 16. Like Malthouse, Dequier also found herself at a hospital—in her case, Victoria Hospital—with excruciating abdominal pain.

She waited for hours before a triage nurse told her that, due to her age, she needed to go to the HSC Children’s ER for help. She was turned away.

At HSC, Dequier says that the process of waiting started all over again and it took many hours before she underwent testing. Test results showed an ovarian cyst which was removed days later in surgery.

Months after ward, though, Dequier’s abdominal pain still persisted and she eventually returned to the HSC Children’s ER. Again, she endured a long wait before the triage nurse told her she was in the wrong ER. Dequier was now 17 years of age, rendering her an adult based on WRHA’s criteria.

She arrived at the HSC Adult ER at midnight and settled in for what would turn out to be an all-night wait.

By 8:00 a.m. the next morning, a

tired and frustrated Dequier left the ER without being seen. Her pain had subsided.

“It wasn’t even that busy [in the ER],” Dequier says. “There were definitely lots of people [at some points], but not like a crazy amount.

So I wasn’t expecting to wait that long.”

Eventually Dequier’s family physician sent her to see a gastroenterologist who also diagnosed her pain as coming from gallstones. She was put on morphine and a waiting list for surgery.

When the pain became too much to bear, Dequier found herself at the Victoria Hospital’s urgent care clinic.

After hours of waiting, Dequier was put through a barrage of tests and told that her condition had become critical.

Still, it took five days of waiting in a hospital room before the surgery was performed.

“I’ve had [more abdominal] pain events since that [surgery], but I’ve just decided not to go back to an emergency department because I just can’t do that anymore,” Dequier says.

As the third round of abdominal pain worsened, Dequier’s parents made her an appointment at a private Winnipeg clinic. This time, she was diagnosed with functional dyspepsia, a non-ulcer-related stomach pain.

“I was fortunate enough to have parents who were able to afford this private clinic through their insurance,” Dequier says. “[If not for them] I would have had to wait two years to get proper pain management. We’re in the twenty-first century and our technology is better than ever and yet we can’t seem to get proper [medical] care.”

Nevada Long is a university student and friend of Dequier’s. She tells a story that’s eerily similar.

In September 2021, Long’s car was rear-ended by a drunk driver.

Long was taken to the St. Boniface ER with symptoms like nausea and a migraine that led her to believe she may have whiplash and a concussion.

She arrived in the ER at 9:00 p.m. and didn’t leave until noon the next day. There were about 40 others in the waiting room when she arrived.

“It seemed, from my perspective, that it was first-come, first-served because most of the injuries were the same level [of severity],” Long says.

An hour after her arrival, Long was questioned by a triage nurse regarding her symptoms. That was the last time she’d talk to any healthcare personnel for the next 13 hours.

Long was 17 years old at the time.

With no way to charge her cell phone,

LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

Long was unable to reach out to family to let them know where she was and what had happened.

Eventually Long underwent tests and was diagnosed with a minor concussion.

She was provided with no pain relief and few care instructions.

“The only thing they told me was to go and see a chiropractor,” Long says. “I kind of felt like I’d wasted my time [going there].”

In the months following the accident, Long began to experience fainting spells that left her disoriented and confused when she regained consciousness. She returned to the ER and, after an eighthour wait, was told that the tests had revealed nothing of concern.

“The thing that upset me the most that time was the doctor that saw me told me that fainting was normal for a woman,” says Long. “And she just sent me home.”

Long’s condition worsened and she found herself in the ER seven more times with long waits and no answers.

“There was one day when it was just worse than normal,” says Long. “I couldn’t make it to the bathroom without fainting. [That time] my boyfriend took me to the Concordia Hospital… They kept me overnight until I was able to see an internal medicine specialist.”

Wi t h i n 1 5 m i nu te s o f being tested, Long says the specialist had a diagnosis.

She had a heart condition which caused her heart rate to spike when she stood from a sitting position. She’s since been put on medication and is scheduled to see a neurologist in November.

“It affects my daily life,” Long says. “Every day, there’s something that I can’t do because of it. It was really hard during the months before I was diagnosed, not having someone that could help me or guide me.”

Both Long and Dequier also have ER stories that go beyond desperate wait times and missed diagnoses.

During the many hours

sp ent in waiting ro oms, Dequier says there were times when people’s patience grew so thin that they lashed out in anger at other patients in the room since there were no healthcare staff around.

For Long, she’ll never forget the trauma she and other patients experienced one particular night in the ER waiting room.

At 3:00 a.m., a man ran through the waiting room, chased by a hospital security guard. The stranger locked himself in a nearby bathroom.

Unable to convince the man to come out, an additional five security guards were called in for assistance.

Long says it took a long time for them to gain access to the bathroom. When they did, the man bolted and it took all six security guards to pin him down to the waiting room floor.

In the kerfuffle, an elderly patient was knocked out of his wheelchair. Long says that a glance into the empty bathroom revealed blood-covered walls.

“Even after that incident, there was no nurse who came out to [help us],” Long says.

NURSES UNION BLAMES MORE THAN THE PANDEMIC

According to the Manitoba Nurses Union, this healthcare crisis should not come as a surprise to anyone. After all, they have been warning provincial authorities about imminent staff shortages for more than three years.

The Canadian Nurses Association began predicting a critical nursing shortage at least 15 years ago, they add, long before COVID-19 came on the scene.

According to the MNU spokesperson, the pandemic was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back.

But if the pandemic wasn’t the sole agent of the current healthcare crisis, it begs the question: what was?

The MNU has long been calling on provincial governments to invest in strengthening frontline ser vices.

Instead, they say, the past

decade has been all about austerity measures that have resulted in healthcare funding cuts.

An early example was the 2012 amalgamation of Manitoba’s 11 regional health authorities into just five. It was an initiative intended to streamline the system, former Health Minister Theresa Oswald said at the time.

Five years later, in 2017, the province instructed the WRHA to cut healthcare costs by $83 million. As a result, half of the city’s ERs were closed.

Some were replaced by urgent care centres which could deal only with non-urgent emergencies such as bone fractures.

“We’re moving too far, too fast on a healthcare plan that puts cost-cutting ahead of patient care,” said Michelle Gawronsky in 2017. Gawronsky was the president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees Union.

Less than three years later, Manitoba was hit by a pandemic that would rival any and all healthcare crises that had come before it.

WHAT IS BEING DONE?

In an attempt to recruit new staff, SH-SS is working on a variety of strategies, including the use of social media, attending job fairs, and making presentations to graduating nurses.

As well, student incentive grants have been created and the SH-SS is working hard to convince students to do their practicums in the region to help sell them on Manitoba.

Even so, they recognize the work they have cut out for them since the nursing shortage is a nationwide problem which gives students broad opportunities for relocation.

To address the issues with more immediate solutions, SH-SS has developed a regional Emergency Department Practice Council whose mandate is to come up with solutions to improve patient flow through emergency departments.

Like most other regional health authorities across the province, the organization is

relying on agency nurses— nurses who work in the private sector—to help fill the gaping holes in the public healthcare system.

According to a recent article in the Winnipeg Free Press, Manitoba’s five regional health authorities, on average, now spend 34 percent more on private nurses per month compared to one year ago.

This, conceivably, presents a catch-22 for nurses working in the public sector, since agency nurses often work on a different payscale, are able to avoid mandated overtime, and receive stipends for travel costs.

According to the nurses union, they are already seeing many outgoing nurses simply move from the public to private sector in order to exercise more control over their careers.

The provincial government may have to act fast if the public health sector is to be saved.

“We believe that the Manitoba government needs to attract new individuals into the profession, as well as retain the ones we have,” says Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union in an interview with The Citizen.

“We need to put strategies in place to bolster recruitment from other countries and make the application process for internationally educated nurses more accessible.”

Jackson adds that the province needs to offer financial incentives for those who are willing to work in remote communities.

On October 26, Manitoba Hea l t h Mi n i ste r Au d re y Gordon announced that the province is working on a plan to recruit, attract, and retain nurses. However, she was unable to reveal any details of the plan just yet.

In the meantime, the only tangible promise Gordon could make was that of a $12.5 million healthcare simulation training centre that has been scheduled for construction at Red River College Polytechnic. That centre is scheduled to be open in 2024.

9

CITIZEN POLL

How severe do you feel the growing healthcare crisis in Manitoba has gotten?

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BEST 1

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Have a more nuanced opinion?

Leave us a comment online.

EntertoWin Take part in our monthly poll for your chance to win a $10 gift card for CRU Barber & Co.

Congratulations to last month's winner: BETTY BENDER VOTE NOW AT www.nivervillecitizen.com LAST MONTH'S RESULTS:

Do you think that Niverville needs a library of its own?

Yes.

No.

64%

36%

YOUR COMMENTS: The town has 3 libraries already in the schools. It would make way more sense to maximize the usage of these existing libraries if HSD would just be open and willing to community use. The taxpayers are already paying for these three existing spaces I think it is absolutely ridiculous to have a population of this size and not have a library. A library is key for a community and not having one reflects poor priority of council in my opinion.

Libraries are indeed so much more as the article correctly states. They provide multiple opportunities for new families to engage in a judgement free, neutral but friendly location.

Niverville requires a library even at extra cost to taxpayers. I truly believe a library would bring a much stronger connection between residents of this community.

If you want to read an actual book instead of the many free or nearly free options online or in near by towns spend your own money to go read that book. Why does the town need to support you because you want to read a book. Its not the towns responsibility to make sure you get a book.

Access to a library for growing children is a must, and is a great place for people of all ages to gather together for a common purpose.

The article mentioned no direct access to the school library being an issue... Did anyone think of the simple solution of maybe putting in a door?

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New Ritchot Development Plan Draws Local Concern

By Brenda Sawatzky LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER m

bsawatzky@nivervillecitizen.com

With a new Macdonald-Ritchot development plan in its final stages, residents of Ritchot were invited to a public hearing on October 20 to provide feedback.

The proposed development plan has been nearly two years in the making. It’s gone through many months of review, background studies, resident and stakeholder input, and finally a draft that has passed through the rigours of the necessary provincial government agencies.

Once in effect, this development plan will replace the one which was created in 2010.

The development plan is used by municipal councils to guide decision-making in terms of residential and commercial development, transportation routes, the protection of agricultural land, preserving the rural character of the communities, and managing the local waterways for drainage and flood protection.

Board members of the MRPD include Councillor Shane Pelletier (acting as board chair), Councillor Janine Boulanger, and planning administrator Tanya Waddell, all of Ritchot. Two councillors from the RM of Macdonald round out the board, Deidre Keddie and Robert Turski.

Kari Schulz, senior planner for WSP, was on hand to provide an overview for those in attendance at the Ritchot meeting. WSP is the land management company commissioned by the MRPD to undertake development of the new plan.

One key aspect of the new development plan is the categorization of each community in the region into one of two designations: rural centres and settlement centres.

According to the plan, rural centres will provide diversity in housing options and become home to most of the RM’s commercial sector. Most of the municipality’s recreational services would also be located here. “ Th e r u ra l c e n t re s o f the planning district… are

A public hearing regarding the proposed new Macdonald-Ritchot development plan.

intended to be the principal growth centres,” Schulz said. Île-des-Chênes East is singled out as the only rural centre in Ritchot.

In drafting the new plan, 62 acres of land on the west side of Île-des-Chênes is under consideration to be developed into a new residential area.

At the public hearing, Schulz made a recommendation to the board to discard this aspect of the plan due to the unlikelihood of receiving provincial approval since the proposal had raised concerns from both Manitoba Agriculture and Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure.

The remaining Ritchot communities—Grande Pointe, St. Adolphe, Ste. Agathe, and the existing residential area of Île-des-Chênes West—will be considered settlement areas.

These communities would provide a larger-lot residential feel in keeping with the commitment to preserve the rural character of the municipality.

A second key area of the proposed development plan is a focus on promoting climate resilience by protecting the region’s waterways and natural environments.

For Ritchot, this would include all areas bordering the Red River.

“These are considered sensitive environmental areas and we want to direct development away from those areas,” Schulz explained.

It was the introduction of these two key principles that elicited serious concern from local residents and development representatives.

Brandon Powell of Lombard North sat before the

D BRENDA SAWATZKY

board, making a plea on behalf of SALCO (St. Adolphe Land Company), to reconsider St. Adolphe’s designation as a settlement centre.

Powell reminded board members that significant investments have recently been made with the explicit purpose of bringing population growth to St. Adolphe.

These investments include provincial and federal grants which aided in the expansion of the ring dike. Following that move, SALCO invested in the Tourond Creek development, a 400-acre mixed-use community now located within that dike.

Powell argued that, even at St. Adolphe’s cur rent population, it exceeds that of Île-des-Chênes and Oak Bluff, communities that have been designated as rural centres. To classify St. Adolphe as settlement, he added, would undermine the vision of Tourond Creek as a higher density, mixed-use development.

“Density is a tool developers can use to manage housing choices and affordability in response to changing market conditions,” Powell told the committee. “Communities that can better adapt to market conditions will outcompete communities that cannot.”

Also making an appeal to the board that night was Robert Doiron, resident of St. Adolphe.

Doiron is concerned about the settlement designation, too, and asked the board about the limitations this would pose in terms of attracting commercial development in the future.

“I don’t like to have St. Adolphe designated as [just]

a place to live,” Doiron said.

“When businesses within the planning area are looking for a place to locate, I think St. Adolphe should be included.”

Presenting on behalf of the community of Ste. Agathe, former councillor Curtis Claydon took the podium next. His concerns revolved around the impact the plan’s environmental policy would have on two parcels of land that the St. Hillaire family of Ste. Agathe had been trying for years to get approved for residential development.

The land in question borders the Red River, yet it has time and again proven to be situated at an altitude higher than historic flood water levels have reached.

It is also one of the few remaining options for residential growth in Ste. Agathe.

“I want to challenge the enviro-policy on the draft of the development plan,” Claydon told the board. “We’ve seen exponential growth in Ritchot. We’ve seen St. Adolphe flourish, we’ve seen Île-des-Chênes flourish, and we’ve seen Grande Pointe flourish. But Ste. Agathe is stagnant.”

St. Hillaire, too, stepped forward to present on his own behalf. He read to the board from the old development plan rules which left room for unique circumstances such as his.

These contingencies have since been deleted from the new plan, he stated.

“My contention is simple,” St. Hillaire said. “Allow us to develop this land as we deem appropriate, while following the rules and regulations pertaining to building in such areas. Or purchase the lands [from us] and do with it as the provincial authority wishes and let us get on with our lives.”

One additional resident spoke at the meeting and two letters were read into the record, all demonstrating support for St. Hillaire’s request.

The meeting closed with a promise from chairperson Pelletier to consider all the concerns raised before making a final decision on the adoption of the development plan.

UPCOMING HOME GAMES

NOV. 9 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. STEINBACH PISTONS

NOV.11 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. WINNIPEG BLUES

NOV.18 @ 7:30 P.M.

NOV. 30 @ 7:30 P.M.

VS. SELKIRK STEELERS

VS. WINNIPEG FREEZE

NIVERVILLE NIGHTHAWKS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

STANDINGS

11

** AS OF NOVEMBER 1**

D JUSTIN BRAUN

WEST DIVISION TEAM

GP

W

L

OTL

SOL

PTS

1

OCN

19

13

5

0

1

27

2

DAUPHIN

17

9

6

2

0

20

3

VIRDEN

16

9

7

0

0

18

4

SWAN VALLEY

17

8

7

1

1

18

5

WAYWAYSEECAPPO

14

6

3

3

2

17

6

NEEPAWA

18

5

9

4

0

14

BLIZZARD KINGS OIL CAPITALS STAMPEDERS WOLVERINES TITANS

EAST DIVISION TEAM

NIGHTHAWKS PLAYER SPOTLIGHT:

Captain Brett Tataryn

By Ty Dilello m

tdilello@nivervillecitizen.com

Hailing from Argyle, Manitoba, a village northwest of Winnipeg, Brett Tataryn has been making his mark on the ice this season as the first captain in Niverville Nighthawks history.

Tataryn played his first year in the MJHL last season, during which he saw action in 54 games for the OCN Blizzard, scoring nine goals and adding 11 assists as a strong two-way forward.

The expansion Nighthawks traded for Tataryn’s rights just before the 2022 MJHL Draft.

Just 15 games into the current season, Tataryn has already exceeded his goal tally from last year. The tying goal came against none other than the OCN Blizzard.

The tenth goal came on Saturdayday, October 29 against the Portage Terriers.

Towards the end of the Nighthawks’ training camp, head coach Kelvin Cech called four players into his office and produced four jerseys: one captain’s jersey and three alternate captains’ sweaters.

Tataryn’s jersey was the last one to be passed out—and it had the letter “C” on it.

“I was very excited to be named captain by this team,” says Tataryn.

“I’ve always been in the leader role wherever I play. It kind of just happens naturally. But yes, I was definitely trying to give myself the best chance to be the captain.”

Cech notes how difficult it is to choose a captain in training camp when you don’t really know anybody yet.

“There’s a lot that goes into it—their off-ice habits, how they conduct themselves in the dressing room, etc.,” says Cech. “We did our homework on Brett, and his former coaches, teammates, and

other hockey operations staff all raved about his character and his work ethic. We had a lot of excellent choices for leadership roles here.

Brendan Kerr drags us into the fight every night, Evan Bortis keeps the fellas organized and plays the right way, and Josh Paulhus is the heartbeat of our team.”

Kerr, Bortis, and Paulhus round out the leadership team as alternate captains. And according to Cech, all four of those leaders have been growing into their new roles.

“Everyone we brought in here is leading in their own way, just with how they take care of themselves and their teammates,” says Cech.

“All that said, the opportunity to name a 19-year-old Brett Tataryn as captain was too appealing. He’s a player who doesn’t say much, but when he does, people listen. His teammates would do anything for him because they know he’d do the same for them.”

Tataryn will be the first to tell you how much he’s enjoyed his time in Niverville so far through the first quarter of the 2022–23 season.

“We get treated very well, and the fans and community really love us,” he says. “Especially when we help out around the community. There will be more community involvement yet to come because we love giving back to our fans and our community.”

Tataryn is currently leading the Nighthawks in scoring this season with 19 points in 14 games. He’s not getting ahead of himself, but he believes his Niverville club has what it takes to earn a playoff spot in the team’s inaugural season.

“Our team is on the same page in terms of goals, and our main one is to definitely be above .500 in the wins and losses categories at the end of the season,” says Tataryn.

“We just have to take things one game at a time.”

GP

W

L

OTL

SOL

PTS

1

PORTAGE

15

13

2

0

0

26

2

STEINBACH

15

13

2

0

0

26

3

WINKLER

16

11

3

1

1

24

4

NIVERVILLE

15

8

7

0

0

16

5

WINNIPEG

15

5

9

1

0

11

6

SELKIRK

15

1

10

3

1

6

7

WINNIPEG

14

2

11

1

0

5

TERRIERS PISTONS FLYERS NIGHTHAWKS BLUES

STEELERS FREEZE

MJHL POINTS LEADERS GOALIE

TEAM

GP

G

A

PTS

1 Riley Zimmerman

OCN

20

13

15

28

2 Ty Paisley

STN

15

10

16

26

3 Travis Hensrud

STN

15

11

14

25

4 Davis Fry

STN

15

9

15

24

5 Ashton Paul

OCN

20

9

13

22

6 Justin Keck

SVS

17

10

11

21

7 Alex Bernauer

OCN

13

7

13

20

8 Brett Tataryn

NIV

14

10

9

19

9 Daniel Siso

POR

15

7

12

19

10 Mike Svenson

WNK

17

13

5

18

11 Josh Paulhus

NIV

14

8

10

18

12 Andrew Boucher

WAY

14

5

13

18

13 Brandon McCartney

POR

16

1

17

18

VIR

15

9

7

16

WNK

17

2

14

16

16 Austin Peters

POR

14

7

8

15

17 Jack Kaiser

WPB

15

7

8

15

18 Brody Beauchemin

WNK

17

7

8

15

19 Luke Janus

WPB

15

6

9

15

20 Ryland Kuczek

WPB

15

6

9

15

14 Josh Lehto 15 Trent Sambrook

MJHL GOALIE LEADERS GOALIE

TEAM

GP

GA

SV%

GAA

1 Aidan Comeau

WNK

6

9

0.944

1.71

2 Ethan Farrow

OCN

7

12

0.943

1.73

3 Dominik Wasik

STN

7

14

0.923

2.00

4 Bailey Monteith

POR

8

16

0.915

2.13

5 Cole Plowman

STN

8

18

0.918

2.21

6 Tresor Wotton

WAY

8

19

0.925

2.33

7 Kobe Grant

SVS

13

33

0.932

2.52

8 Malachi Klassen

WNK

12

30

0.911

2.64

9 Chase Hamm

OCN

13

36

0.909

2.74

10 Owen LaRocque

VIR

8

21

0.894

2.84

11 Jayden Catellier

POR

9

25

0.894

2.89

12 Mason Lobreau

NEE

8

22

0.911

3.01

13 Ethan Kadatz

NIV

9

26

0.907

3.01

14 Cole Sheffield

DAU

10

30

0.900

3.22

15 Eric Reid

VIR

10

34

0.874

3.84

16 Peyton Trzaska

NEE

7

22

0.871

4.03

17 Michael O’Sullivan

WPF

9

35

0.916

4.08

18 Joshua Kirton

SEL

10

39

0.877

4.18

19 Brock Moroz

WPB

10

41

0.885

4.51

20 Gavin Renwick

NEE

6

27

0.844

4.78

UPCOMING HOME GAMES 12

NOV. 9 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. STEINBACH PISTONS

NOV.11 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. WINNIPEG BLUES

NOV.18 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. SELKIRK STEELERS

NIVERVILLE NIGHTHAWKS

NOV. 30 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. WINNIPEG FREEZE

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

The Nighthawks Shine in October

By Ty Dilello m

tdilello@nivervillecitizen.com

With their early season jitters behind them, the Nighthawks found their legs in the month of October, ending the month with a winning 8–7–0 record.

Highlights of the month include some big statement wins against powerhouse teams like the Portage Terriers and the OCN Blizzard.

OCTOBER 7 (WINNIPEG FREEZE, HOME)

The home crowd at the CRRC were in for a treat, with the Niverville Nighthawks playing their best game of the season to date in a 6–0 beatdown of the Winnipeg Freeze.

The Nighthawks were all over the Freeze from start to finish, outshooting their opponents 49 to 16.

“The last couple of weeks we doubled down on our starts, as we really wanted to make sure that we started the game well,” said Nighthawks head coach Kelvin Cech. “They earned that game for sure. We’ve

played good hockey for stretches all year, so it’s good to be rewarded.”

Josh Paulhus opened the scoring a mere 58 seconds into the game. He then added his second goal of the night a few minutes later to make the lead 2–0.

Captain Brett Tataryn and Jack Lambert also scored for the Nighthawks in the later stages of the period to give the home team a 4–0 lead after 20 minutes.

After a scoreless second period, the Nighthawks had tallies from Josh Paulhus and Carter Spirig to put the game out of reach.

Paulhus’s third period goal gave him a hat trick on the night, much to the delight of the crowd, who tried their best to toss a few hats on the ice.

Not an easy feat when you’re trying to get them over the mesh netting.

“We had a really good start,” said Paulhus. “We played them earlier this year and didn’t really have our game, so tonight we played Nighthawks hockey and came out with the win. We were clicking all night and getting a lot

of chances. Our line was flying around out there, that’s for sure, and it’s always nice to help out on the scoreboard when you can.”

Ethan Kadatz recorded the first shutout in Nighthawks franchise history as he stopped all 16 shots in what was primarily a quiet night for the St. Albert product.

OCTOBER 9 (WINNIPEG FREEZE, AWAY)

The Nighthawks continued to roll as they picked up their third straight win by dispatching the Freeze again, this time by a 6–3 score.

“We’ve battled our way back to .500 on the year, so we’re pretty excited,” said Cech. “We’ve worked hard for our offence the last couple of games, and we’re very happy to see it come in.”

Zak Kennett opened the game’s scoring for the Nighthawks midway through the first period. The Freeze would tie it up a few minutes later, and that’s how the first period ended.

The Nighthawks got a pair of goals in the early stages of the second

frame from Brendan Kerr and Spirig.

Although the Freeze got one back with only 13 seconds remaining in the period, Niverville led 3–2 after two periods.

Three goals in the third period for the Nighthawks—scored by Kerr and two from Paulhus—sealed the deal.

“I think the boys are starting to feel a lot more comfortable on the ice together,” said Kerr, who had two goals and one assist. “The chemistry is starting to show itself. It’s always nice having a group that starts to click at the right times, especially in these last three games.”

The score was a lot closer than the game perhaps should have been as the Freeze netminder was under heavy siege all night and forced to make a number of terrific saves to keep his side in the game.

Niverville fired a blistering 62 shots on goal.

Scott Thompson was also solid and earned his first MJHL win in goal for the Nighthawks, stopping 34 of 37 shots.

After winning three games in a row, Coach Cech is quick to note how pleased he is by his players’ work ethic in practice, saying that it shows on the ice when game time comes.

“They’re very coachable and a resilient group. We started the year with a couple of losses, but we didn’t get down on ourselves,” said Cech.

OCTOBER 14 (VIRDEN OIL CAPITALS, HOME)

It was a game to forget for the hometown Nighthawks, as they fell 6–2 to a strong Virden Oil Capitals squad.

The Nighthawks started off slow, but only trailed 1–0 after the first period.

The second period was Niverville’s downfall as they were blitzed by Virden for four goals.

To Niverville’s credit, they fought back in the final frame and played a good period of hockey. Kerr and Desmond Johnson tallied for the Nighthawks, but a comeback was not in the cards.

“It was a sleepy first period for us

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and the second period was not good, but Virden came in and executed a perfect game plan on the road,” said Cech. “We had no response for it, and we just weren’t good enough tonight.”

Kadatz played the first two periods in goal for the Nighthawks before Thompson came in to close the game.

“Some nights are going to be hard, and you have to work through it,” Cech added. “And the guys came out and played well in the third period, which was encouraging for sure. But it was too little too late for us.”

“The boys just need to shake it off,” said defenceman Johnson. “It was a tough one, but we have to keep battling through.”

Johnson scored his first-ever MJHL goal when he blasted a point shot past Virden’s netminder late in the third period.

“I couldn’t have done it without my teammates, who were able to set me up for the goal,” Johnson said. “I was able to hit a one-timer, and I’m just thankful it went in.”

The 20-year-old native of Phoenix, Arizona is one of the Nighthawks’ newest players, as he was playing his fourth game with the club.

OCTOBER 16 (VIRDEN OIL CAPITALS, AWAY)

The Nighthawks ventured out to the western edge of the province two nights later and fell just a little short, losing once again to the Oil Capitals, but this time only by 5–4.

Niverville opened the scoring early in the first period with a goal from Tataryn. Virden got one back later in the period, and that’s how the first frame ended.

In the second period, Virden got some powerplay time and made the Nighthawks pay by scoring three goals in quick succession.

The Nighthawks got one back late in the period when Hayden Wheddon scored his first with the team to cut the deficit to 4–2.

The Nighthawks attempted to rally in the third period with goals from Ty Kennett and Tataryn, who pocketed his second tally of the game.

Virden got one more goal as well, so the comeback was not meant to be.

“I really liked us at certain points, as I liked our poise when the puck was on our stick, and we had a lot of possession because of it,” said Cech. “We got a little panicky when they scored one, just off a mistake. We then got into penalty trouble, and the second period got away from us. But once again we showed a lot of resiliency in the third period. Now we got to put that together for 60 minutes next time, and maybe we’ll come out with a win.”

Kadatz made 38 saves on 43 shots on the night for the Nighthawks. The 6’5” netminder has been one of the team’s biggest bright spots this year, doing an admirable job in replacing the injured Chris Fines in goal for Niverville.

“Ethan was thrust into a situation

he hadn’t been in before,” said Cech.

“So we’re delighted with his development so far. He’s been a big part of our team, and we love having him.”

Tataryn noted that his club had some good chances throughout the contest that could have changed the outcome of the game.

“We had a lot of very strong plays that just couldn’t find the back of the net,” said Tataryn. “Our neutral zone could tighten up a bit, but overall not much needs to change other than being consistent and not letting off the gas for the whole 60 minutes.”

OCTOBER 19 (PORTAGE TERRIERS, AWAY)

early 2–0 advantage.

Neepawa would get one back, but early in the second period Gavin Gunderson scored on the powerplay to open up a 3–1 lead.

Wheddon and Tataryn each thenscored late in the second period for the Nighthawks, and that’s how the game ended, as the third period was scoreless.

Kadatz stopped 24 of 25 shots in goal for the Nighthawks.

“It was the same tight start as we saw the other night in Portage,” said Cech. “And then some special teams in the middle where our penalty kill was strong. But then our powerplay got jealous, and they wanted to pop a couple, so the boys really earned the two points tonight.”

Cech was quick to point out the strong play of his top line players, which helped put the game out of reach.

“Brett [Tataryn] is really playing strong lately all over the rink,” Cech said. “He kills penalties, he takes faceoffs and puts the puck into the

with our sports science coach Rob Pambrun, who is making sure that we’re fed well and taken care of postgame,” said Cech. “We got home late last night, but we were geared up for this game and wanted to have some energy. We were able to wear OCN down as the game went along, as they had just played three games in two and a half days themselves.”

The Nighthawks found themselves down 5–4 at the start of the third period but managed to get three goals past the OCN netminder in quick succession to pull out the win.

Defenceman Martin was credited with the game-winning goal.

“It was pretty awesome scoring that goal!” said Martin. “Kerr came around the net and took a guy with him and gave me the puck in a good spot. It gave me a nice bounce and ended up in the net.”

Without a doubt, this was the Nighthawks’ finest display of the season to date as they dispatched the MJHL’s top-ranked Portage Terriers in convincing 6–2 fashion.

With the impressive road win, the OCTOBER 29 Nighthawks moved into a playoff spot (PORTAGE TERRIERS, HOME) for the first time this season.

It was a spirited effort at the CRRC, “I’m just very pleased by the contribut in the end the Terriers defeated butions all over the lineup,” said Cech. the Nighthawks by “With so many special a 4–2 score, getting teams, lots of guys either some revenge after double-shifted or sat for Niverville’s upset win stretches of the game, over them earlier in but ever yone made the month. an impact with their “We had jump for opportunity.” sure and poise,” said T h e Ni g h t h a w k s Cech. “I think we took it to the Terriers needed to simplify early with two goals things early on, as we from Brendan Bottem had a couple of breakin the first period. Newly downs which cost us. signed forward Braden I’m generally happy Panzer out of Grand Kelvin Cech | Head Coach & General Manager with how we played Forks made it 3–0 for but just not good the Nighthawks just 30 enough tonight.” seconds into the second The Nighthawks fell behind the period. net. He’s really leading the way in that After Portage got one back, the regard. But tonight, especially, was a eight-ball early when Portage opened Nighthawks were relentless and got full team effort as everyone contrib- the scoring just over a minute into the a pair of powerplay goals from Ben uted at different points of the game. contest.

Niverville tied the game early in Whitford and Tataryn.

Guys made the most of their opporthe second period when Tataryn The Terriers scored early in the tunities every time we got them.” potted his team-leading tenth goal final frame, but Ty Kennett sealed it OCTOBER 23 of the season. with an empty-netter.

Sadly, that’s as close as the Night“We tried to limit their grade A (OCN BLIZZARD, HOME) chances, and it worked out,” said The fans at the CRCC were in for a hawks would come to winning on Cech. “We didn’t turn the puck over in treat as the home team won their third the evening. Portage replied with our zone, and all five players worked straight game, holding on to defeat the two goals later in the second period.

Isaac Rentmeester scored for Nivto their position. We moved the puck OCN Blizzard by a 7–5 score.

With the win, the team improved erville in the third period, but a Porwell out of our zone, which meant we their record to 7–6–0, putting them in tage empty-netter sealed the game. didn’t spend extra time there.”

“It’s tough to play from behind, Cech noted that beating a top team fourth place in the MJHL’s East Divlike Portage is a big statement for his ision and marking the first time they and we did so the whole game after we got that early one, but the guys are club. And that statement resonates in climbed above .500 this season.

In this chippy game, filled with resilient and dug in,” said Cech. “It’s the room more than anything.

“The guys are starting to believe penalties between two teams who at too bad we weren’t able to tie it up.”

Rentmeester’s third period tally and really pull in the same direction,” points seemed to have it out for each said Cech. “They earned a big two other, Kerr led the way by netting a was his first MJHL goal and one to pair of goals on the afternoon. remember as he made a good read in points against a powerful program.”

Kennan Reyelts, Tataryn, Johnson, front of the net and deflected a point OCTOBER 22 Eric Martin, and Carson Reed also shot past the Terriers netminder.

(NEEPAWA TITANS, AWAY) found the back of the net for Niverville.

“I just knew I had to go to the net The Nighthawks put themselves on Kadatz made 31 saves on 36 shots on that one, and I ended up getting a a roll after defeating the Neepawa Ti- in goal for the Nighthawks. lucky deflection, and it went in,” said tans 5–1 for their second straight win.

It was an especially big win because Rentmeester. “We came in knowing Dayden Collier opened the scoring the Nighthawks were coming off a what we needed to do, and although for Niverville midway through the first quick turnaround, having defeated we didn’t accomplish everything we period. Tataryn then scored under a Neepawa less than 24 hours earlier. wanted, we did a lot of good things, minute later to give the Nighthawks an “We have a good program here and we’re going to build off that.”

“Getting two points in October means just as much as two points in March, so our goal is definitely to make the playoffs with this squad.”

OCTOBER 30 (WINNIPEG BLUES, AWAY)

13

The Nighthawks put up another strong showing on Sunday night as they dispatched the Winnipeg Blues by an 8–3 score.

With this decisive victory, the Nighthawks improved to 8–7–0 on the season, strengthening their hold on the last playoff spot over the fifthplace Blues.

“Getting two points in October means just as much as two points in March, so our goal is definitely to make the playoffs with this squad,” said Cech. “Josh Paulhus came off the ice after a goal tonight and said, ‘That’s playoff net habits right there.’

And that’s something we talk about all the time. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, but all of a sudden we’re 15 games in and it’s not early in the season anymore. So it was a big statement win for us.”

The Nighthawks dominated the Blues from start to finish.

What’s better is that the offence was spread around to all of the team’s lines.

Bottem led the way with two goals, while other goals on the night came from Gunderson, Ethan Kelly, Martin, Spirig, Merik Boles, and Johnson.

Kadatz stopped 24 of 27 shots in goal for the Nighthawks.

Sixteen-year-old Liam Goertzen from Homewood, Manitoba made his debut for the Nighthawks on the evening and put in a very respectable showing.

“I’ve had the pleasure of coaching both of his older brothers, and the whole family has such great character, and they work hard,” said Cech. “So for Liam to come in at 16 and contribute tonight is spectacular. Some of our older guys had a slow start to the game, and it was that young line of Merik Boles, Hayden Wheddon, and Liam that played well early and got us going.”

Speaking of Boles, the 17-year-old from Lorette was finally rewarded for his strong play this season when he potted his first MJHL goal.

“For Merik, he works so hard, and he’s a quiet kid,” Cech said. “But he’s a student of the game, and it’s tough because he’s also still a student in high school. He has a busy workload, but he manages it well. Merik has been good on the wing and is an excellent penalty killer. The guys went bonkers when he scored because he really means a lot to them.”

Heading into November, the team will go off on a three-game road trip, taking on the Swan Valley Stampeders, OCN Blizzard, and Selkirk Steelers in quick succession.

“We’re happy to get on the road, as the travel in this league is so awesome,” Cech said. “The guys love to go stay in a hotel and just worry about hockey for a weekend. It’s going to be nice to get up there, but that’s two strong teams in OCN and Swan Valley. So for us, it starts with a good week of practice and then we’ll hit the road for the Friday night game.”

UPCOMING HOME GAMES 14

NOV. 9 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. STEINBACH PISTONS

NOV.11 @ 7:30 P.M. VS. WINNIPEG BLUES

NOV.18 @ 7:30 P.M.

NOV. 30 @ 7:30 P.M.

VS. SELKIRK STEELERS

NIVERVILLE NIGHTHAWKS

VS. WINNIPEG FREEZE

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LOCAL NEWS

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

New Niverville Store to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

By Jennifer Lavin m

Ambassador Canadian Reformed Church

Christ

is King

jlavin@nivervillecitizen.com

Ashley and Akash Singh are excited to bring a new business to Niverville. Dope Treats will offer rare, retro, and imported snacks and drinks—and customers will also have the opportunity to place special orders for their favourite snacks of choice.

Co-owner Ashley Singh was born and raised in Winnipeg and met Akash after he immigrated from India about 13 years ago.

The Singhs have been a couple for almost ten years and have a fouryear-old son and another child on the way. They have lived in Winnipeg, Toronto, and Abbotsford but say they always seem to find themselves back in Manitoba.

Ashley comes from the corporate accounting world and Akash comes from a security and customer service background.

About a year ago, while living in B.C., they began formulating the concept of Dope Treats.

“We have both always felt stuck with our jobs,” Ashley says. “The corporate world, working for someone else just never felt right.

And with a growing family, the flexibility of having our own business to balance work and family is even better. We also love the idea of bringing smiles and joy to people young and old with sweets and snacks.”

After moving from B.C. to Winnipeg in April of this year, the Singhs started a small online version of Dope Treats with local pickup and delivery only. They also offered a popup sale at a Winnipeg business this past summer.

15

Why is this good news? Because any kingdom belonging to this world cannot create a truly just system. And the reason for that is the heart of mankind. We do not recognize justice. We do not understand mercy. But Jesus entered the world as the Christ.

Why do Christians trust a book written over 2000 Christ one.” years ago?

Howmeans do we find“anointed truth in our ever changing world?

How are my relationships bigger than myself?

God anointed kings and priests.

Christ is both. He is reigning in heaven right now.

Ashley and Akash Singh at Dope Treats in Niverville.

The popup sale was a success and made it clear that their dream of owning their own business was the right decision.

The pair considered opening a brick-and-mortar store in Winnipeg but just couldn’t find the right location.

When they moved to Niverville in August, though, they found their perfect spot.

Ashley says that they have a l re a d y f a l l e n i n l ov e w i t h

Niverville. “The response we have had from some community members we’ve discussed the business with has been so positive and supportive, it’s been great. We cannot wait to open our doors to the community and bring some candies and snacks from different countries and some novelty/retro choices as well.”

Dope Treats may sound like a store that sells cannabis edibles, but that’s not the case. Ashley

D GURJIT KAUR

says that some people have asked about the name but they believe it’s a good one.

“We are looking to attract the cannabis crowd, as well as families, young adults, and pretty much anyone who loves candy, snacks, and other treats,” she says.

Dope Treats is anticipated to open on November 1 at Unit G-290 Main Street in the Niverville Commons. Ashley and Akash look forward to seeing people there.

Our king is the Son of God, who added to Himself a human nature. He came into the world as Jesus. He suffered. If you read the story of Jesus, you will see that He knows what it means to be lonely.

He knows what it means to be misunderstood. He knows what it means to be falsely accused.

He experienced injustice at the hands of the Romans, who prided themselves on their fairness. God gave Jesus Christ true justice and rewarded Him for His faithful service by making Him king over all things. As king, He bears the marks of the suffering He went through and gives hope to all who will place their hope in Him and seek the good of His kingdom.

“Behold, I make all things new.”

Right now, the Holy Spirit of Jesus is training the children of God to follow Him. If you desire to know true justice and true mercy, seek out somebody you know who knows Jesus and so find Him while He still may be found.

Pastor James Zekveld

pastor.ambassador@gmail.com 204-905-4297

www.ambassador-canrc.org

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Niverville Remembrance Day Service Returns to the Heritage Centre

By Brenda Sawatzky LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER m

bsawatzky@nivervillecitizen.com

After two years of hosting outdoor events, the Niverville Remembrance Day Committee is excited to announce the return of this year’s ceremony and luncheon to the warm and inviting indoor setting of the Niverville Heritage Centre.

The ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, November 11 in the ballroom.

Attendees will be moved by stories told by the Leushko family, Ukrainian immigrants who fled their wartorn home to resettle in Steinbach.

“The family will share what it was like to live in a war zone and what lengths they had to go through to come to Canada,” says

committee organizer Natalie Batkis. “They will also speak about the work they have been doing to help other Ukrainian families come to Canada to find peace and stability.”

Guest musicians will include Melanie Bergen and bagpiper Rod Christie. The traditional laying of wreaths will close the formal portion of the event.

A light lunch will be served immediately afterward. Donations are being accepted to help offset the cost of the event. A portion of donations will also be used to assist veterans.

To help bring awareness to some of the younger members of the community, Randy MacDonald and his service dog Chance will visit classrooms at the Niverville Elementary School the week prior.

MacD o nald s er ve d thre e tours of duty with the Canadian Armed Forces and will share some of those experiences with the children.

Each child will be provided with a colouring page which will hang from the walls of the Heritage Centre on Remembrance Day. Poppies will soon be available in businesses around the community. Everyone is encouraged to support the campaign in remembrance of the more than 117,000 Canadian soldiers who have died while serving our country.

The committee would like to thank the Niverville Fire and Emergency Services department, local cadets, and the Niverville Nighthawks for generously offering assistance during the Remembrance Day event.

Attendees are encouraged to arrive early as crowds in previous years have numbered between 700 and 800 people.

REMEMBRANCE DAY IN RITCHOT

The RM of Ritchot would like to invite residents and guests to join them for a Remembrance Day service by the cenotaph on the grounds of the municipal building in St. Adolphe.

The ceremony will begin at 10:40 a.m. on November 11. Brief messages will be provided by the mayor and councillors followed by the lowering of the flag while “The Last Post” is played. The event will close with the laying of wreaths at the cenotaph.

Attendees are asked to dress for the weather and are invited for coffee and dainties inside Club Amical following the ceremony.

Pita Pit to Open Soon in Niverville

By Jennifer Lavin m

jlavin@nivervillecitizen.com

Nikki and Nick Hagidiakow are already business owners in Niverville—the local Dairy Queen is theirs—but now they’re bringing a Pita Pit to town as well.

The first Pita Pit opened in 1995 and there are now more than 650 locations throughout the world, so the chain has clearly found a winning concept. Pita Pit’s press package describes their concept as “a fresh, healthy alternative to traditional high-fat, high-carb, high-calorie fast foods.”

For those who are unfamiliar with pitas, they are a Lebanesestyle flatbread that can be filled with the toppings of one’s choice: veggies, meats, and sauces. Pita

Pit allows you to choose your pita rolled up or toasted flat, or you can have all your ingredients in a bowl.

Niverville’s location will also serve fruit smoothies.

Nikki and Nick had already built successful careers before going into the food service industry. Nick has a real estate licence and Nikki has obtained a master’s degree in Business Administration as well as a Certified Financial Planning certificate.

After some time, though, they both thought back to their early days of working in food service and decided that this was the direction they should be heading.

“A number of circumstances aligned and the outcome was that we both completely had a change in careers,” says Nikki. “We both

learned that we have a love for the food industry, [so] it just made sense that our lives would bring us back to that industry.”

In 2017, the Hagidiakows opened their first Dairy Queen location, and later that year they purchased the DQ at Polo Park as well. In 2019, they opened their Niverville location, and then in 2021 they opened another on St. Anne’s Road.

Nikki says that she and her husband have a number of reasons for choosing Pita Pit as the next restaurant in their budding empire.

“The main reasons being it is a healthy, quick option for the community” she says. “It is a brand both Nick and myself love to consume, and the franchise is a well-run franchise. It just seemed

to make the most sense, all things considered.”

The Hagidiakows will open their first Pita Pit nearly next door to their Niverville DQ, in the new commercial strip mall being built on Drovers Run. They hope to have it ready to serve customers in January of 2023.

“We have absolutely fallen in love with the community [of Niverville],” Nikki says. “The people, the businesses, the schools, the beauty, the community… we love Niverville and feel so welcomed here. It’s only natural to expand in Niverville, this time with a healthy option. We are extremely excited to see how Pita Pit can become part of the community, just like we feel our DQ and ourselves have become part of the community.”

IN BRIEF

St. Adolphe Students Get Donated School Kits

By Brenda Sawatzky LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER m

bsawatzky@nivervillecitizen.com

Since 2006, Canadian students have been benefiting from the TELUS Kits for Kids program. This year, 17,000 backpacks filled with back-to-school essentials were distributed to kids in need across the nation.

Five students at Ecole St. Adolphe school were recipients of the kits this year.

MLA Ron Schuler has been distributing backpacks donated by TELUS for the past five years. Each MLA in Manitoba receives ten filled backpacks each year.

“I am proud to support students in need in my community,” says Schuler. “This generous donation of backpacks filled with essential school supplies will help continue to strengthen our community.”

In the program’s 17 years, a total of 200,000 backpack kits have been donated

by TELUS along with 33,000 refurbished computers and 157,000 comfort kits which went to supporting displaced families.

“We believe that everyone, no matter where they live or socioeconomic status, should have equal access to connectivity, education, safety, healthcare and quality food,” says Jill Schnarr, Chief Social Innovation and Communications Officer for TELUS. Schnarr adds that the backpack kits are intended to reach low-income families and children in need across the country.

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THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

Food for Thought: How Our Diets Affect the Brain

By Daniel Dacombe How many of us, in times of stress, will reach for something to eat—for snacks, for drinks, maybe for something sweet? We might not even think about doing it. Instead we find ourselves polishing off that old piece of cake, opening a bag of chips, or grabbing a pop without really considering why. We often throw around terms like “stress eating,” usually with a chuckle and a shrug of the shoulders as if to say, “What can you do?”

But how often do we stop and ask ourselves a few simple questions?

Why do we tend to eat more when we’re stressed? Why do certain foods make us feel better when we feel anxiety? And is there a way to be more mindful about what we eat to improve our mood and mental health?

As usual, the answers are in our brains, and in the long process of biological evolution that gave them to us.

We spent hundreds of thousands of years at the mercy of natural selection, the process by which living organisms adapt to their environment and change to become better able to survive, thrive, and pass on their genetic material to the next generation. Simply put, traits that are beneficial for our survival stick around, and traits that are not beneficial tend to go away.

Unsurprisingly, eating food is beneficial for our survival, so we have evolved some powerful biological urges to eat! This is also why we feel psychological discomfort when we have been hungry for too long. Our brains are trying to help us survive, driving us to get food when

D DEPOSITPHOTOS

we feel like we’re starving.

So our urges to keep eating in order to survive make sense, certainly.

But why do we gravitate towards foods that are generally more unhealthy during times of stress?

Fat, salt, and sugar… larg e amounts of these three substances are relatively rare in nature, and they are essential to our survival.

They help our bodies and brains to grow and replace damaged cells (the human brain is roughly sixty percent fat). When our brains encounter fat, salt, and sugar, it activates in us a similar drive as when we’re starving—a sudden urge to consume as much of those fats, salts, and sugars as we can.

When we do consume these substances in large quantities, our brains reward us by flooding us with dopamine and endorphins—chemicals that give us feelings of pleasure and contentment. This neurochemical reward is a powerful motivator.

Now, it’s one thing to give in to the

urge to consume an entire bush of berries or a honeycomb when you’re living off the land; it’s quite another to give in to that same urge when walking through the bulk foods aisle at the supermarket when we could quite literally eat ourselves into type-2 diabetes.

So most of us have been socialized—by parents, peers, and society—to show some moderation.

However, when we experience significant stress, our bodies and brains get ready to take “heroic measures.” That is, we prepare to engage our fight, flight, or freeze response. We’re getting ready to do something out of the ordinary, and these actions are going to exact a toll.

How better to prepare for the requirements of sudden action than to consume as many calories as we can? And since many of those rare and precious fats, salts, and sugars will be burnt up in the physical activity taken during the fight, flight, or freeze response, it makes sense to stockpile them in advance.

This is why our brains give us the powerful urge to consume high-calorie foods when we’re stressed. And it’s why so many of us turn to ice cream—a source of all three substances—when we’re feeling upset!

Unfortunately, consuming diets heavy in fats and sugars can lead to not only physical health problems but mental health problems as well.

Problems with mood can result from an excessively high-calorie diet, and overconsumption of saturated fats has been linked to poor cognitive processing and neurological dysfunction later in life.

We simply don’t need as many of these substances as are readily available to us in the modern world.

On the other hand, neither have we been designed to function without them completely. Depriving ourselves of food in order to lose weight—for example, skipping meals or avoiding fats and sugars entirely— can actually cause depression.

We need to employ moderation when it comes to consuming these

substances we have evolved to crave.

Managing your fat, salt, and sugar intake doesn’t have to mean depriving yourself. It might be as simple as being mindful about where these substances come from.

For instance, eating fruit can be a good source of sugars in amounts our bodies will be used to taking in—unlike sweets, which are often made from concentrated corn syrup.

In addition, some fats, such as omaga-3 fatty acids, which are found in many fish, walnuts, and certain eggs, are associated with improved brain health. In fact, increased consumption of fish in general has been linked to lower levels of depression.

We can also pay attention to what science teaches us about how our bodies and brains work.

Serotonin (the brain chemical that helps us to feel happy and well-adjusted, and may help us avoid depression) is primarily produced in the gut. More than ninety-five percent of our serotonin comes from the gastrointestinal tracts, and research shows that diets higher in vegetables, fruits, unprocessed grains, and seafood can lead to lower lifetime levels of depression.

More research is needed, but everything we’ve learned so far tells us that our diets and how well our brains function are deeply linked.

There’s so much more to learn!

Making healthy changes to our diets may require some help.In order to make the best possible decisions about what you eat, consider reaching out to a dietician. They will be able to help you make good decisions about what you eat and set you up for long-term health both for your body and for your brain.

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THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

IN BRIEF

U18 Hockey Team Raises Money for CancerCare

By Sara Beth Dacombe m

Junior C Clippers players Elijah Durksen, Nathan Rempel, Jaxsen Friesen, and Ethan Fehr show off this season's new jerseys.

D DOMINIC MARTENS

Junior C Clippers Gear Up for Season Opener

By Jennifer Lavin m

jlavin@nivervillecitizen.com

The Niverville Junior C Clippers are back for another season of fast-paced hockey.

And former players Dominic Martens and Luke Toews enjoyed their time on the Clippers so much that now, a few years later, they’ve decided to get the team going again—this time as coaches.

Martens and Toews played Junior C in Niverville about seven years ago. At that time, their head coach was Todd Anderson, so the pair reached out to Anderson for help getting started.

Anderson helped guide the young men through their first season in 2021–2022, and now Martens has taken over as head coach.

Previously, Martens was

an assistant coach in Grunthal for a year, and he served as an assistant last year in Niverville. He’s excited to continue this new era of Clippers hockey.

“We had a tough start to last year but finished strong, winning our first round in the playoffs,” says Martens. “I have the utmost confidence in this team going into this season.

It’s amazing having the most local Niverville players we’ve seen in quite some time, and we’re in a great position to build a program here for Niverville kids to continue playing competitive hockey after they’re done [with] minor hockey.”

From 2012 to 2015, Toews played on the team and says he thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Now he has taken over as general manager.

“The Hanover Taché Junior Hockey League (HTJHL) is a phenomenal league and we wanted Niverville to be a part of it again,” Toews says.

“The league provides local aged Junior hockey players with an opportunity to stay in town and play competitive hockey while still going to school [and/or] working.

We are really happy with the roster we have and we also got new jerseys this year which everyone was excited about.”

Funk played four years in the MJHL. After having wa t c h e d s o m e C l i p p e r s games last season, he says he was surprised at the quality of hockey throughout the league.

So when the team asked if he would be interested in joining them as assistant coach, he readily accepted.

“ I a m e xc i t e d f o r t h e upcoming season,” says Funk.

“We have a strong group of players and should match up well with anyone in the league”.

The HTJHL has been around for 36 years and this season there are seven teams in the league: Niver ville, Landmark, Steinbach, Macdonald, Lorette, Red River, and Springfield.

There will be 24 regular season games this year for the Clippers, with their home games s che dule d at the CRRC. The Junior C Clippers had their home opener on Sunday, October 16.

The cost to see them play on home ice is only $7 for adults, $5 for those between the ages of 12 and 17, and free for kids 11 and under.

sdacombe@nivervillecitizen.com

The U18 Eastman Selects female team is holding a special fundraiser game called Hockey Fights Cancer on November 5 at the CRRC. The event will take place at 3:45 p.m. and coincide with the team’s game against the Pembina Valley Hawks.

Gate admission as well as the proceeds from a 50/50 sale, silent auction, and bake sale will all be donated to CancerCare Manitoba.

Team manager Sheri Fast is excited to help present this game to the community.

“This should be a great game!” says Fast. “We lost to them in the last match, so our girls will look for a win.”

When the players realized how many of them shared a connection to a cancer story, they made the decision to try to raise funds for CancerCare, specifically breast cancer research. “ P re tt y mu ch e v e r y one on our team has been affected by cancer,” Fast says.

“It’s important for us to use our platform to help generate much-needed funding.”

The team has held a fundraiser in past years, but this year they are putting in extra effort to organize new ways to raise money.

“We have held this fundraiser in past years, but typically we just donate our gate admission and 50/50,” she says. “This year we are really trying to ramp it up to get as many people as we can from our community to come out and watch a great game of hockey and support a great cause.”

The U18 Eastman Selects

female program is in its fourteenth year with the Manitoba Female Hockey League (MFHL). They are made up of players who reside in the Eastman region (southeastern Manitoba) in Grades 10 through 12.

Brent Wery, vice-director for the female program, is excited about the future.

His job is to advocate for female players and ensure that players have as many opportunities as possible.

He wants to encourage Niverville to continue to embrace the team and come out to show their support.

“What I find most exciting about the MFHL is that it is a showcase of our province’s best under-18year-old female athletes,” h e says. “Co l l e g e s a n d universities from all over North America, along with Hockey Canada and Hockey Manitoba, follow the league and teams that play for it in hopes of recruiting some of the best athletes to for their programs.”

This year the team is excited to travel to Toronto the weekend of December 2–4 for an elite tournament: 2 Nations College Prep.

At the event, teams come from a range of places across North America, from California to Western Canada to New England and Northern Ontario.

Many scouts from universities and colleges around Canada and the U.S. will be in attendance.

The November 5 Hockey Fights Cancer game will cost $5 per adult and $3 for seniors. Students and kids under 12 can attend free of charge.

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THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

Niverville Fire Department Debuts New Safety Booklet

By Sara Beth Dacombe m

sdacombe@nivervillecitizen.com

Last month, Niverville Fire and EMS teamed up with local artist Ludolf Grolle to produce their first-ever fire safety booklet for kids.

The idea for the booklet came up when the fire department learned that the Fire Commissioners Office of Manitoba had discontinued their colouring contest for kids.

The province helps local fire stations coordinate activities during Fire Safety Week, held on October 9–15 this year.

For the past two years, middle school kids have been invited to draw a picture about fire safety and enter it to win a prize. Niverville Fire and EMS has coordinated this through the local schools, inviting the students to submit their drawings to the local station. The collected drawings were then passed to the governing body and a winner was chosen from the provincewide entries.

“One of our kids won it in 2021, which is cool,” says Niverville fire chief Keith Bueckert.

The government had also used samples of the drawings in a pamphlet distributed to ages Kindergarten to Grade Four so they could see what fire safety means through the eyes of other children.

“We were coming out of COVID

D NIVERVILLE FIRE AND EMS

Sparky the Dog, the provincial fire safety mascot.

and we learned that the Fire Commissioners Office had discontinued the contest,” Bueckert says. “But we had already been in contact with the local schools, so we wanted to

continue on with it.”

Grolle heard about the discontinued initiative from Bueckert, who is his neighbour down the street.

Because of his passion to help others

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connect with art, he wanted to help keep the contest going.

“I asked for his help,” says Bueckert. “I asked if he would be able to go through these kids’ artwork and

come up with a winner from each grade, and that way we could still do a contest here in Niverville.”

When the pictures were collected, Grolle looked through them and was so impressed with the efforts of the children that he said it would be a shame not to display them.

They came up with an idea to print their own booklet so the kids could see themselves represented in a meaningful way.

“We know that a printed booklet gets shown to the kids’ parents,” says Bueckert. “The kids see the artwork and say, ‘Look Mommy’ or ‘Look Daddy.’ And then the parent is like, ‘Oh yeah, we need to check our smoke alarms or replace of fire extinguishers.’ We know there is real value in that. It could save a life.”

Niver ville Fire and EMS say they’re thrilled with the booklet.

The booklet has been so well received, in fact, that the group is thinking of more publication possibilities in the future.

“It’s just turned out way beyond our expectations,” says Bueckert about the project. “So right now we’re looking at the ability to do something periodically to send fire safety messages either to kids, or we could tailor it for seniors, or to the season, or whatever is needed.

It’s not just a one-day or one-week message, it’s a 365-day message.”

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

Local Musicians Aim to Launch Studio

By Sara Beth Dacombe m

sdacombe@nivervillecitizen.com

After individual music careers touring Canada and the United States, husband and wife duo Jason and Jacky Heistad have put down roots in Niverville and are ready to launch a creative studio.

With a mix of country, gospel, folk, and rock, they are a seasoned, professional recording act with a distinct sound.

“Our sound has always had more of a southern flavour,” says Jacky. “It’s like country southern, a Blue Ridge Mountains kind of style.”

“It’s also hybrid,” adds Jason. “We can throw a Métis sound in with country or bluegrass or gospel. And then you can throw an electric guitar in the mix and it totally sound like today’s country or pop. We’re trying to keep it more acoustic, more pure, but of course I love the electric guitar.

Whatever the song needs, that’s the instrumentation I’ll turn to.”

Their sound has evolved over the years as the two combined their unique styles. After growing up in Margo, Saskatchewan,

D SARA BETH DACOMBE

Jacky and Jason Heistad have put down roots in Niverville.

Jacky—performing as Jacky Belle— went on to travel internationally as an accomplished singer-songwriter, lending her rich and powerful voice to original songs and covers spanning pop country, contemporary, soul, and blues.

Her musical experience and accomplishments are extensive.

While living in Tennessee for several years, she received the Tennessee Songwriting Association Award, performed at the Bluebird Café in Nashville, and made a guest appearance at the Grand Ole Opry.

She also toured extensively with Michael McDonald of the Doobie Brothers as a back-up vocalist and

percussionist.

Jacky helped represent Saskatchewan in the Bud Country Music for Canada event, and was once chosen to sing the Canadian national anthem in front of 70 nations while in Israel.

Starting out on drums, piano, and championship fiddle player, Jason’s

multifaceted musical career is also extensive. He was named the Saskatchewan Junior Fiddle Champion at the age of 13, cut his first CD at 19, and that same year hit the road as bass guitarist with Canadian country artist Ronnie Prophet.

During the early 90s, Jason played fiddle and cowrote songs with the Canadian recording artists Against the Grain. House fiddler for the CTV show Number #1 West, Jason backed up numerous Grand Ole Opry performers.

He toured as fiddler with Brian Sklar throughout Europe and also performed with the bands Justice and Electric Cattle Company.

From 1994 to 1999, Jason won the Saskatchewan Country Music Fiddle Player of the Year award and received Canadian Country Music Award nominations. He was also honoured as the Saskatchewan Best Instrumentalist of the Year in 1998.

Ironically, the two musicians grew up about 10 minutes from each other, but they didn’t meet or fall in love until later in life, marrying in 2004.

Jason’s work had brought them

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THE CITIZEN | NOVEMBER 2022

to Regina where he produced and recorded six CD projects for Saskatchewan artists while also employed as sound designer for the CTV hit series Corner Gas, as well as other film and television projects.

The couple remained committed to creating art and pursuing their gifts while juggling married life and raising their son.

As a team, Jason produces the music and acts as musical director. Jacky is the vocalist and songwriter. She also plays the guitar and blues harp.

“With my contacts in music and television, we kept going back to it and feeling drawn back,” Jason says. “It was just on the weekends and stuff, so I would work with TV and compose for some films, some in L.A., some bigger productions, but I also always wanted to support my wife. When you’re born to sing, well, my wife has a gift. We sound different than everybody else, which is scary, but it’s also good at the same time. We don’t blend in with the pavement… and when you’re breaking new ground, you look to your left and your right and there’s nobody there. So you kind of wonder if you’re on the right path.”

The commitment paid off, however. As a duo, they recorded an album called The Sounds of Heaven in 2008 and continued to travel and perform throughout Canada and the U.S. In late 2019, they had been feeling the need for change, and in 2020 they up and moved to Nashville with their then-14-year-old son, Judah.

“Jacky had lived in Tennessee in the 90s before we were married and had friends down there,” says Jason. “So we said, let’s move to Tennessee and just figure it out.

We’ll see what doors open.”

The couple says it was an incredible experience that gave them a lot of opportunities to develop as artists and take the next steps in their careers. It also gave them a unique insight into studio work and how to work with artists.

“When we went to Nashville, some crazy doors opened for us,” Jacky says. “We got to connect with people that had just finished producing Dolly Parton, Mark and Wanda Burchfield. And they heard our music and took us under their wing and we recorded a CD with

23

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT them.”

When COVID hit, however, the family had to regroup fast.

A NEW DREAM

The Heistads originally planned to relocate temporarily to Canada and return to the U.S. when COVID had passed.

“It was great for a season, and then our visas expired,” says Jason.

“All our shows were cancelled. We had 70 shows booked.”

The couple had friends in Manitoba and wanted to be close to the border. They also recognized that their son was tired of moving and they wanted to get him into a good school.

After being introduced to the idea of moving to Niverville, they quickly realized that it would be a great fit.

In 2021, they found a home in town and set up a studio which they affectionately dubbed “the

corporate video work, training videos, commercials and advertising, and website materials.

“My time with CTV has refined me, in a way,” he says. “I’m focused on more than video and music, but more importantly, relationship and community.”

Bluebird Communications will launch their website in December 2022, and the couple say they are open to new creative collaborations. Their ideal clients would be those who want to achieve the highest standard in content creation.

Jacky and Jason have also continued to create music. They have a new album in the works with a launch date of spring 2023. The songs will feature collaborations with many local sounds and artists “We are interested in mixing an intergenerational sound, with young people who are into rap or dubstep, and incorporate fiddle

“I would say we can change people’s lives by just reaching out. We all can. We can uplift each other.”

Jacky Heistad | Local Musical Artist

nest.” It wasn’t long after that they decided the timing was right to launch their next dream: a studio and communications business.

Their new business will be called Bluebird Communications and they are excited to serve southeastern Manitoba.

“I read that Niverville is number one in Canada for population and economic growth,” Jason says.

“It was even in The Globe and Mail. So there’s something going on here. I believe that Niverville is the place to open up a world-class studio.”

Jacky says that Jason is gifted in being able to connect people and bring them together to produce powerful sounds. He sees his role as directing a team of creatives from videographers and writers to photographers and musicians.

With more than 30 years of communications experience, Jason is putting together a team that will be well positioned to ser ve anyone looking for

got stuff?

or a more traditional instrument,” says Jacky, who is writing lyrics that deliver a hopeful message.

“We’d like to give hope to people and says, ‘Don’t give up on your dreams and it will get better. Find what your gift is and find those who will lift you up.’ We want to lift people up, if their gift is music, or sport, or art, or whatever it is.”

HELPING OTHERS DREAM

Aside from launching their new business, the Heistads are transparent about where their passion in life lies.

“We really want to be here and pour our hearts into other musicians,” says Jacky. “There are so many musicians in Manitoba.

We’re getting more acquainted with them and it’s not just us.

Everybody seems to be coming out of their shell a bit more and rediscovering each other.”

Jacky says that people in the arts are being real about the trauma of the lockdown and how

it was devastating to people’s livelihood. People want something to connect to and something to believe in again.

“We’re having more jam sessions now and revisiting from the past season, and we’re seeing there’s a need and a sound that people are looking for, from just recovering from what they’ve gone through,” she adds. “We’ve still had friends who are going through the trauma of wanting to go out.”

The Heistads feel strongly about talking openly about people’s mental and spiritual health. Their album, Coming Out of the Desert, is all about hope.

“We produced it as a family,” says Jacky. “[It has] a message that says, ‘No matter what you’re going through, if you stick together and don’t give up, you can come out of your desert.’ And we don’t give up. We’re Canadians, we’re from Saskatchewan. That all comes out in the music.”

“When a door opens up, we walk through it,” Jason says. “We believe in that, because at one point in our lives we were connected with a church, and we find now that there’s a new thing happening. We can’t go back to the old thing.”

The Heistads say that it’s not about spreading a religious message, but about hope and freedom from lifestyles and systems that keep us in destructive patterns.

“When you listen to the music of Johnny Cash, when he said, ‘Let’s bring it home,’ well… let’s bring it home. People don’t just want to hear gospel music. They want to hear something real and a real sound.”

Jacky describes herself as being much more motivated by the heart and relationships.

“Our hearts are to reach the unloved and a lot of people have been hurt by religion,” she says. “If I can sing and be an influence to someone who is working hard on themselves out there, I would say we can change people’s lives by just reaching out. We all can. We can uplift each other. And if it’s a song, great. And if it’s pointing people to where to get resources or take their next step toward using their gifts, that will help them get where they need to go. I know where I get my gift from—it’s God. if I can spread that message, too, I will.”

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